Outside!!!!

So I've been feeling less than hardcore...Yes I've been running...but I've not been outside for months! I miss loading up the kids and going for a run to break up the day...but I can't say that I really hate the treadmill...it doesn't bother me at all...The only thing that has concerned me is that I was afraid that I wouldn't have the same endurance outside, and that I would be running with a lot less speed come spring, (which wouldn't be good considering that I'm not the biggest speedster out there to start with...) Oh and the fact that I read everyone elses posts about their freezing temp snowy runs and think, Man they are some hardcore people and Man I'm such a WIMP!
So I've been thinking about it...running outside that is...I've even planned on it somedays...only to chicken out...but this last Saturday it was a warmer day than usual....so J and I bundled up the kids threw the jogger in the back of the truck and went for a run....It was a short run due to the fact J has been sick and hasn't been running much, and the kids were also complaining of cold after not to long. But it was HEAVENLY! I finnished up our little run with the best sprint that I have ever done in my life! I actually reached and held for a little amount of time....(but that fact that I even saw this number on my Garmin blew me away)...Here it is 5:05 min/mile!!!!! Wow! I mean I can't believe it....totolly didn't know that I could move that fast!
That night it was back to the treadmill to finnish my miles for the day....I don't know if it was in my head or if it really was that bad...but man did my foot hurt...I thought I might finnish up limping for a minute there! UGH! So one minute I'm floating on cloud nine and the next I'm barely able to run.
I decided that I would take it easy and just run my miles last night...slow, slow, slow, and if it hurt too bad then I would come home and bike...well I made it through not much pain...so I did all the miles and came home to ice the BUNION! Yes I said BUNION! I feel like an eighty year old woman!
So then today when I had J telling me go take time and do whatever you want to do, you need it! UGH would I be able to run? I was going to try for sure! So on the shoes went, and oh no the toe is getting a blister....and the bunion...hmmmmm....I readjusted the shoes and then out the door I went! ALL BY MYSELF! The plan was to do my long run and see if I could do the whole thing outside...please no pain....
Here I go. Can I do it...Can I stick with it endurance wise after months on a treadmill? Can I run with the same amount of speed? It felt great to see the old running trail! The answer to those questions? YOU BET! I ran farther than I ever have! I thought that I was slow but the Garmin reports that I was only a few seconds off. and the cold wasn't that bad, except for at the end when my legs and rear felt like they were literally frozen meat....guess next time I'll try two layers of pants.
This week looks a little promising for maybe a short run or two out there with the kids in the jogger so we will see how it goes...Hopefully the forecast holds good!

OUTSIDE= HEAVENLY!
LuLu